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Borders Broadband

Broadband
Overview
Quick overview of Broadband services; how they work, how they
are delivered and some of the issues and challenges involved.

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Contents
Broadband Overview............................................................................................. 4
Executive Summary............................................................................................... 4
A general introduction to Broadband.....................................................................4
How does xDSL actually work?..............................................................................5
Problems with xDSL............................................................................................... 6
How this works in practice................................................................................... 10
Local Loop Unbundling......................................................................................... 11
Sub Loop Unbundling........................................................................................... 11
Inside the Exchange............................................................................................ 12
An ISPs network................................................................................................... 14
Some more information on BTs 21st Century Network........................................15
Other Technology................................................................................................. 17
FTT(x) - Fibre to the (N)ode / (C)abinet / (B)uilding / (H)ome...............................23
Conclusion........................................................................................................... 28

Figures
Figure 1 ADSL Micro filter....................................................................................... 4
Figure 2 NTE (Network Termination Equipment) Telephone Socket........................4
Figure 3 ADSL Line Usage ..................................................................................... 6
Figure 4 xDSL Speed vs. Distance..........................................................................7
Figure 5 VDSL Speed vs. Distance.........................................................................7
Figure 6 BT IP Stream.......................................................................................... 10
Figure 7 LLU Diagram........................................................................................... 11
Figure 8 SLU Diagram.......................................................................................... 12
Figure 9 Main Distribution Frame (MDF) ..............................................................12
Figure 10 DSLAM (Digital Subscriber Line Access Module) .................................13
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Figure 11 Fibre Backhaul ..................................................................................... 13

Figure 12 FTTC Cabinet ....................................................................................... 14
Figure 13 ISP Network ......................................................................................... 15
Figure 14 BT 21CN network ................................................................................16
Figure 15 BT Core Nodes ..................................................................................... 16
Figure 16 BT 21CN Topology ...............................................................................17
Figure 17 One-way satellite ................................................................................ 18
Figure 18 Two-way satellite .................................................................................18
Figure 19 Satellite footprint ................................................................................19
Figure 20 3G dongle............................................................................................. 20
Figure 21 Example of Mobile Comms Network ....................................................20
Figure 22 3G coverage ........................................................................................ 21
Figure 23 WiMAX in operation ............................................................................. 22
Figure 24 FTTx deployments ............................................................................... 23
Figure 25 Diagram of optical fibre ......................................................................24
Figure 26 Multiple-Core Optical Fibre ..................................................................24
Figure 27 Blown fibre .......................................................................................... 25
Figure 28 Diagram showing 'dark' fibre ..............................................................25
Figure 29 Active and Passive Optical Networks ...................................................26
Figure 30 PON example ...................................................................................... 27
Figure 31 PON Example ...................................................................................... 28

Tables
Table 1 ADSL Types................................................................................................ 4
Table 2 BT Products................................................................................................ 5
Table 3 xDSL Frequencies...................................................................................... 6
Table 4 Shorthand speed / size information...........................................................9
Table 5 Mobile Standards..................................................................................... 19
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History
Versi
on

Date

0.1

30/09/
11

0.2

Change(s)

Author

Role

Initial Draft.

Richard
Shelley

Technical
Manager

06/10/
11

Revised following comments

from A.Ronald

Richard
Shelley

Technical
Manager

0.3

08/11/
11

Added citations to images

Richard
Shelley

Technical
Manager

0.4

13/12/
11

Revised formatting following

review by Natalia Silver

Richard
Shelley

Technical
Manager

Authorisation for release

Individual
Richard
Shelley
Matt Smith

Role

Author
ity

Technical
Manager

Author

Operations
Manager

Approv
er

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Approv
ed

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Broadband Overview
Executive Summary
Broadband is a term used to define network data transmission over multiple
discrete bands, or channels. There is no specific definition on what constitutes
broad it is simply a comparative term that differentiates from other network
services which offer lesser bandwidth e.g. ISDN which offers 2x 64Kb channels. In
the UK broadband connections are used to provide consumers connectivity to
the Internet via an ISP (Internet Service Provider). ISPs handle the management
and transmission of the data to and from the consumers delivery point (typically
a router). Most commonly a broadband service is delivered over the medium of
the telephone system (you may see the term POTS which stands for Plain Old
Telephone System). Utilising the copper telephone wires (a pair) the spare
capacity of the wires which is not used for voice signals is employed to transfer
data. There are alternative methods to deliver a broadband service such as fibre
optic, wireless and satellite.
This document attempts to provide some background on existing broadband
provision, alternate technologies and the good and bad points of each approach.

A general introduction to Broadband

Broadband in the UK is currently delivered to the consumer predominantly over
the telephone infrastructure. The access point for the consumer is the standard
telephone socket (Figure 2) in the home which is then connected to a micro filter
(Figure 1) which splits the voice and data frequencies and provides two physical
connections. One connection plugs into the phone and one into a broadband
router. The router provides the Internet connection to the consumer.

Figure 2 NTE (Network Termination

Equipment) Telephone Socket

Figure 1 ADSL Micro filter

There are numerous flavours of xDSL (xDSL is an umbrella term which covers all
these variations). In the UK these are predominantly:
Table 1 ADSL Types

Technology

ADSL

Deliver
y
Medium

Internati
onal
Standard

Telephon

ITU

Speed (Down /
Up) Max
12Mb/s | 1.3Mb/s

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Max Range (c.

Km)
4Km

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Technology

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Deliver
y
Medium

Internati
onal
Standard

Speed (Down /
Up) Max

Max Range (c.

Km)

G.992.1

ADSL2+

Telephon
y

ITU
G.992.5

24Mb/s | 1.5 Mb/s

4Km

ADSL2+ Annex M

Telephon
y

ITU
G.992.5

20Mb/s | 3 Mb/s

4Km

Annex M
VDSL2

Telephon
y

ITU
G.993.2

100Mb/s | 100Mb/s

4Km

DOCSIS 3.0

Coaxial
Cable

DOCSIS
3.0

1.5Gb/s | 150Mb/s

160Km

The above table shows the theoretical MAX speeds and distances. The maximum
speeds reduce quickly over distance for xDSL products and are not available at
the maximum distances. Virgin Media uses the DOCSIS technology. BT offers
their services using derivatives of the above as products that can be purchased
via their wholesale arm. The breakdown of BT products is shown below:
Table 2 BT Products

Downstrea
m Line
Speed
Upstream
Line Speed
448
Upstream
Line Speed
uncapped

WBC Max 8Mb/s WBC Max 24Mb/s

(ADSL1 or
(ADSL2+ Annex
ADSL2+)
A)
ATM
ATM
DSL line
DSL line
payload
payload
rate
rate
rate
rate
(kbit/s)
(kbit/s)
(kbit/s)
(kbit/s)
Adaptive Adaptive
Adaptive Adaptive
288256288-8128 256-7320
24384
22083
kbit/s
kbit/s
kbit/s
kbit/s
Adaptive Adaptive Adaptive Adaptive
64-448
57-398
64-448
57-398
kbit/s
kbit/s
kbit/s
kbit/s
Adaptive Adaptive Adaptive Adaptive
64 kbit/s 57 kbit/s 64 kbit/s 57 kbit/s
uncapped uncapped uncapped uncapped

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WBC Max M
(ADSL2+ Annex
M)
ATM
DSL line
payload
rate
rate
(kbit/s)
(kbit/s)
Adaptive Adaptive
28825624384
22083
kbit/s
kbit/s
N/A

N/A

Adaptive
Adaptive
64 kbit/s
64 kbit/s uncapped
uncapped

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How does xDSL actually work?

xDSL utilises the spare capacity of the copper phone lines to transfer data.
Essentially this means using higher frequencies than are required for voice and
splitting these into channels. Channels simply provide upper and lower ranges of
frequencies within with data is transmitted. The signal is produced and
interpreted by a Modem (Modulator / Demodulator) which converts digital data
(bits) into a sequence of tones. Despite being called digital in reality the signal
transmitted is analogue (i.e. a wave).
The illustration below shows how the available frequency ranges are divided
between voice and data and how data traffic is subdivided between upstream
and downstream.

Figure 3 ADSL Line Usage

Improvements in xDSL have generally been made as a result of increasing the

frequencies that are used. The higher the frequency the more modulated the
signal and the more information it can carry. The downside of this is that the
more the frequency increases the less far the signal can travel. This has been
addressed with VDSL2 by connecting the cabinet to the exchange with fibre optic
cable, so the only copper cable used is from the cabinet to the consumer.
However, with the high frequencies used by VDSL2, to receive the maximum
speed the consumer would need to have a connection within the street cabinet.
Beyond distances of about 1.5KM from the cabinet the speed (bandwidth) of
VDSL2 is equivalent to ADSL2+.
Table 3 xDSL Frequencies

Technology
ADSL
ADSL2

Also Known As / Variants

ADSL2+
VDSL
VDSL2

AnnexM (increased Upload) & ADSL Max 24

ADSLMax

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Frequencies
Up to 1.1Mhz
Up to 1.1Mhz
Up to 2.2Mhz
Up to 12Mhz
Up to 30Mhz

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Problems with xDSL

Perhaps the biggest issue for xDSL is the speed vs. distance problem. As
previously mentioned; in general the further the signal has to travel the less
information that can be reliably transmitted. The graph below shows the effect
on speed (download) of distance for various xDSL technologies.

Figure 4 xDSL Speed vs. Distance2

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Figure 5 VDSL Speed vs. Distance

It can clearly be seen that the current technology reliant on exchange based
connectivity has a practical distance of 4Km for speeds up to 2Mb/s.VDSL2+
performs similarly to ADSL2+ beyond 1.6Km (note the VDSL graph is measured
in feet, 5000ft c. 1500m) In practice there are a number of factors that
contribute to the overall capability of a physical line. The quality of the line and
the type also affect its ability to efficiently transmit a signal. The gauge of copper
wire (or indeed whether it is aluminium rather than copper), the degradation,
sources of interference, number of connections, physical route (duct, pole) and
weather these factors all effect the data transmission. The critical factors
affecting data transmission are measured using the following categories:
SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio)
SNR is Signal to Noise Ratio - in other words a measurement in decibels of the Signal strength to the
level of Noise on the line. The higher your SNR is, the better, as there is less background Noise
Read more: http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/linestats.htm#ixzz1ZAQBfXOf

Attenuation
Line attenuation is in relation to the loss on your line. The lower this figure the better, and the better
chance you have of getting the faster speeds.
Attenuation is a term used to describe the reduction of the ADSL signal strength that occurs on the
copper pair over distance and is measured in dB decibels. The further you are away from the
exchange the higher your attenuation figure will be as the signal loss increases.
Read more: http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/linestats.htm#ixzz1ZAQKONQb
Contention
3

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The services offered by BT Wholesale and ISPs are not dedicated to individual consumers (with
some exceptions e.g. there are some providers offering this but it expensive!) instead the capacity is
shared amongst groups of users. This is expressed as a ratio typically 50:1 where 50 users share a
defined bandwidth. This model assumes not all users wish to use the service simultaneously. The
more concurrent access the lower the available bandwidth there is for each discreet user. This is most
often experienced by users during peak times (known in the industry as busy hours). During these
periods performance of the service can drop significantly.
Assured / Committed Rates
Some providers offer their consumers assured data rates this is effectively a minimum guarantee
which reflects the worst case scenario that the supplier would expect under normal circumstances.
This figure is typically far lower than the headline access speeds quoted for the service. For example
and 8Mb/s download rate may have an assured rate as low as 200Kb.
What does all this speed data mean?
There are numerous measurements used in Broadband, there is no agreed standard and this causes
much confusion amongst the general public and technologists alike!
Binary, data storage and network speeds
Data is stored as a sequence of 1s and 0s which is referred to as binary (essentially an easy way to
store an on or off that determines how a CPU switches. The CPU is the brain of a computer and at
its most basic is a huge collection (millions) of transistors or switches. Each 1 or 0 is referred to as a
BIT.
When data is stored all these 1s and 0s are written. As the number of these binary BITs is enormous
there is a shorthand notation which is used to refer to these numbers:
8 Bits = 1 Byte
1024 Bytes = 1 Kilobyte (KB)
1024 KB = 1 Megabyte (MB)
1024 MB = 1 Gigabyte (GB)
1024 GB = 1 Terabyte (TB)
The above holds true for data storage, sadly networking and data transmission works on the level of
the BIT not the Byte and a factor of 1000 not 1024, hence:
1 Kb (note the small b) = 1000 bits
1 Mb = 1000 Kb
1 Gb = 1000 Mb
1 Tb = 1000 Gb
As can be seen measurements of speed are very confusing. When referring to network speeds it is
most accurate to use the BITs notation and not Bytes.
Table 4 Shorthand speed / size information
Notations

Meaning

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K or Kilo

equivalent to 1,000 or 103

M or Mega

equivalent to 1,000,000 or 106

G or Giga

equivalent to 1,000,000,000 or 109

T or Tera

equivalent to 1,000,000,000,000 or 1012

A note on xDSL speeds

There are several measurements of speed that you may see these are summarised below:

Line Speed
The speed at which your connection is provided at, commonly 512kb, 1Mb or
2Mb: This is the service profile that is determined by the provider.
Access Speed / True Speed
The rate at which data traverses your connection best measured using speed
checker as this transfers data and measures the time to determine speed. This
value will fluctuate based on time of day / shared usage / number of devices
connected.
Connection / Sync Speed
This is the speed at which your router synchronises (connects) to the exchange equipment.
Depending upon your ISP, your sync speed can either be Fixed Rate or Rate Adaptive.
Fixed Rate lines are generally 512kbps, 1Mb or 2Mb and these have corresponding sync speeds of
576kbps, 1152kbps and 2272kbps respectively
Read more: http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/linestats.htm#ixzz1ZAQ2SiJK
Up To speeds
As mentioned previously due to the variations in lines the actual speed that can be achieved depends
on a number of factors. This is why ISPs use up to speeds, these are the maximum that the service
provided to you can achieve, in reality the speed consumers achieve will be less than this. As most
xDSL services are now rate adaptive they try to determine the fastest stable speed that can be
achieved on a line and then this is set by the exchange BRAS.

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How this works in practice

Figure 6 BT IP Stream4

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The above illustration shows the connectivity from the End User (Consumer) to
the Internet (looking left to right). In the simplest form BT handles the
connectivity from the user through their network and delivers this to the ISPs
network for distribution to the Internet. This is the BT IP Stream product shown
above (Figure 6), an alternate product BT Datastream allows an ISP more control
over the routing and contention as they pick up the connection within the ATM
cloud.

Local Loop Unbundling

Developments in the wholesale market lead to the capability of ISPs to deploy
their own equipment into an exchange and take over the copper wires from BT.
An ISP can decide to take either Broadband, Voice or both. Installing their own
DSLAMs and then backhauling this to their own core networks offers ISPs much
more flexibility and allows them to make a cost differential. There are many ISPs
now taking part in LLU.

Figure 7 LLU Diagram5

Sub Loop Unbundling

Like LLU SLU allows different market players to install their own equipment and
take over responsibility for service provision from the incumbent - usually BT.
Instead of the equipment being in the Exchange the kit is typically located in a
street cabinet. This is generally the case for the high speed deployments e.g.
VDSL2.

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Figure 8 SLU Diagram6

Inside the Exchange

The following images show the equipment mentioned in previous sections that
can be found in a typical exchange.

Figure 9 Main Distribution Frame (MDF)

The above image shows where the copper wires are terminated within an
exchange.

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Figure 10 DSLAM (Digital Subscriber Line Access Module)

The above image shows the concentrated copper connections connected to the
line cards on a DSLAM. The DSLAM takes multiple copper lines and connects
them to the core network.

Figure 11 Fibre Backhaul

The above image shows the fibre connections which carry the broadband data
back to their core networks (backhaul).

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Figure 12 FTTC Cabinet

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The above image shows a BT street cabinet providing VDSL2 services. The left
cabinet contains the VDSL2 equipment and the right cabinet provides the crossconnect of the consumer copper lines.

An ISPs network
The ISP is responsible for delivering the broadband services to the consumer and
is their primary point of contact. ISPs (Internet Service Providers) take the
wholesale services and package them up offering additional services and
capability. Depending on the area and the infrastructure there are typically
several ISPs to choose from.
The diagram below shows PlusNets ISP network at a high level. The delivery
point from the wholesale network is shown as two arrows on the left hand side
entering the ISPs network in London. The blocks above and below (e.g. BBC, BT
Net) are Peering links which are essentially local physical connections between
ISP / Large Network operators. These are used to reduce transit costs for the ISP
as data is sent between organisations rather than routed via a transit operator.

10

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Figure 13 ISP Network

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Some more information on BTs 21st Century

Network
BT has been upgrading its core network for some time now under the banner of
21CN. This is a process of replacing the ATM network with an Ethernet based one
which allows voice and data to be handled together and for more services and
products to be offered by the wholesaler. The high level topology is set out
below.

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Figure 14 BT 21CN network

Figure 15 BT Core Nodes

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Figure 16 BT 21CN Topology

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Other Technology
Satellite
Satellite based broadband offers the best solution for the really hard to reach
areas. Where geography presents difficulties for line of sight or the nearest
aggregation point is too far for other delivery mechanisms; then satellite
becomes the best solution. There are several problems with Satellite systems
however:

Huge distance that data has to travel (resulting in time delay expressed as
Latency) causes problems for real-time applications like video
conferencing, movie streaming, gaming

Cost of installation systems cost 100s to install

Bandwidth the bandwidth available is limited typically around 10Mb/s

max download.

Weather conditions can affect the transmission of data (cloud, rain etc.)

In some cases the signal lands in a different country and this can affect
the use of applications such as iPlayer although this is generally being
addressed

On the positive side the coverage offered by these systems is by far the widest.
There are two basic flavours of satellite, one-way and two-way; these simply
defined whether upload data is sent via satellite or telephony.

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Figure 17 One-way satellite

15

Figure 18 Two-way satellite

16

15

http://www.broadbandwatchdog.co.uk/satellite-broadband.php

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Figure 19 Satellite footprint

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Mobile Phone broadband

Today consumers can access the Internet using their mobile phone handsets or a
dongle (Figure 20) which connects to a PC. Using the mobile carrier consumers
are able to send and receive data via wireless links to a local base station (Figure
21). Each base station controls a cell, with cells adjoining to form blanket
coverage. As a handset moves between cells the call is transferred seamlessly to
maintain a smooth call. There are various technologies in use currently in the UK
and emerging technology will allow increased data transfer rates. Commonly
referred to as 2G,3G and 4G mobile networks are divided into groups based upon
the capabilities of the technology, 2G refers to a 2 nd generation network, 3G third
generation and so on. Today the UK has a mix of 2G and 3G, 4G is soon to
emerge via technologies such as LTE (Long Term Evolution). The table below
(Table 5) details the capabilities of each generation and the technology choices
with respect to how these can be delivered.
Table 5 Mobile Standards

17

Generatio
n

Technologi
es

Max
Download

GSM / GPRS
/ EDGE /
EGPRS2

473Kb/s

473Kb/s

UMTS /
HSDPA

14Mb/s

384Kb/s

WiMAX /
LTE / LTE
Advanced

1Gb/s

200Mb/s

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Max
Upload

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Figure 20 3G dongle

Figure 21 Example of Mobile Comms Network

18

The main issues with mobile data communications are:

Patchy coverage in rural areas. The coverage for 2G is patchy and the
situation for 3G is worse. Coverage issues are especially problematic in
rural areas. Figure 22 shows the coverage picture for 3G nationally. As can
be seen the coverage across the two counties is sparse.

Capacity all calls in a cell share the capacity of that cell, as more active
calls take place the bandwidth available degrades.

18

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Throughput existing networks do not offer sufficient bandwidth, 4G

promises this but the infrastructure is not yet in place or proven in the UK.

Latency the time taken for the data to travel via a mobile network is
longer than that for fixed line solutions. This can impact on the ability to
offer some real time services such as video conferencing and online
gaming. Quality of service guarantees can mitigate this to some degree
but mobile communications suffer more from latency than a fixed line
equivalent.

Figure 22 3G coverage

19

WiFi
WiFi provides data transmission over the air using specific frequency ranges.
Most of us are familiar with this in the home via wireless routers operating using
the 802.11 standards, for example 802.11b routers provide short range
connections at up to 11Mb/s in the 2.4Ghz range, 802.11g is an enhancement
offering up to 54Mb/s over the same frequencies.
In the context of broadband WiFi can offer connectivity to more remote users as
it is not dependent on physical connectivity. For rural broadband different WiFi
technology can be deployed such as WiMAX. WiMAX is another standardised
technology (802.16) that can deliver connectivity over the air, offering
connectivity up to c. 50Km. WiMAX can be used for backhaul (long distance line
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of sight with directed antenna) or local service provision in non-line of sight

mode. The illustration below shows how WiMAX can be used for rural broadband.
The main issues for wireless are:

Concern over radio frequency usage and health, although this is not
specifically related to wireless other than its use inside the home and
schools.

Impact of masts on the rural landscape reuse of existing masts and

premises can help

Bandwidth is shared by all users in the mast coverage area

Getting sufficient bandwidth to the mast to provide adequate capacity

Bandwidth is typically lower than other technologies

There can be issues with line-of-sight and signal degradation / penetration

Installation costs are cheaper than satellite systems

Coverage is generally good in terms of area and there are no wires to lay
to the consumer

Illustration only - not to scale

Figure 23 WiMAX in operation
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FTT(x) - Fibre to the (N)ode / (C)abinet /

(B)uilding / (H)ome
There are a number of deployment options that can be implemented that utilise
fibre optic delivery, collectively known as FTTx. These differ in the points to
which they deliver as can be seen below:

Figure 24 FTTx deployments

21

As the fibre reaches further toward the consumer the speed and bandwidth
available increases as the necessity for copper links becomes less and less. The
key benefit of fibre is the increased bandwidth and distance that the data
transmissions can be delivered over (Refer to Table 1 and Figure 5). Fibres use
lasers or powerful LEDs to send signals using light. Active Optical networks use
equipment to distribute the signal to the appropriate delivery point, passive
optical networks utilise unpowered optical splitters to deliver the signals (see
Figure 29). There are also two type of fibre architecture that can be deployed
point-to-point and point-to-multipoint, the difference being point-to-point utilises
a dedicated single fibre between source and destination whereas point-tomultipoint uses some form of splitter to allow a single fibre to deliver to multiple
targets (See Figure 27). The main issues for fibre are:

21

Best solution for bandwidth and future capacity

More expensive as number of fibres increases and equipment increases

i.e. GPON (see next section) cheaper than point to point fibre

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiber_to_the_x

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Requires extensive ground works ducting, trenches, new cabinets etc.

(although some fibre is now being installed on telephone and power poles)

Very expensive option to deliver to low density areas (i.e. reduced

consumer uptake)

Requires changes to consumer delivery point and change of consumer

equipment

Copper circuits still required to provide a basic telephone service

Figure 25 Diagram of optical fibre

22

The above image (figure 25) shows the structure of a single core fibre cable.

Figure 26 Multiple-Core Optical Fibre

23

The above image (Figure 26) shows how multiple cores can be delivered over a
single cable.

22

http://www.sercos.com/technology/images/fiber_optic_cable.jpg

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Figure 27 Blown fibre

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The above image (figure 27) shows how fibres can be blown down ducting using
compressed air. This is a common installation method and allows additional
fibres to be installed at a later date (assuming space / capacity in the tubing).

Figure 28 Diagram showing 'dark' fibre

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The above imaged (Figure 28) shows dark fibre. This is simply unused fibre
(unlit hence dark) or less commonly refers to fibre that is leased from a third
party and not directly owned by the user.

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The diagrams below (Figure 29, 30 and 31) show the different types of optical
network that can be implemented, these differ in the way that mirrors (passive)
or electrical equipment (active) split the data traffic between different
consumers.

Figure 29 Active and Passive Optical Networks

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Figure 30 PON example

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Figure 31 PON Example

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Conclusion
In conclusion broadband is a technically challenging and complex environment.
In order to provide the best possible coverage and speed, in the most cost
effective manner, it is probable that a mixture of the technologies illustrated
above may be used.

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Glossary

21CN - 21st Century Network

BT's next generation network, which is being rolled out between 2007 and 2012.
2G/3G/4G Mobile Communications Standards
Group of technologies offering mobile communications, the G refers to the
generation.
ADSL - Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
This is the most common way in which broadband is delivered in the UK.
ADSl2+ - Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, version 2+
A form of ADSL offering up to 24Mbps downloads, and up to 2.5Mbps upstream (for
the Annex M version).
AP - Aggregation Point
The point at which broadband/voice traffic from multiple exchanges is aggregated in
to a single point, ready for hand-off to a CP.
CP - Communications Provider
BT's terminology for an ISP
DPI - Deep Packet Inspection
The process by which a traffic analyser will look beyond the packet headers and down
in to the packet payload in order to determine the type of traffic or other
characteristics.
DSLAM - Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer
The device installed in telephone exchanges that terminates copper pairs to provide
xDSL connections. Superseded in 21CN by MSANs.
EP - Extension Path
The link between the APs and the MSILs.
ETHERNET Packet based network technology. IEEE 802.3 defines the standards.
EUA - End User Access
BT's terminology for the tail circuit from the exchange to the end users premises
FTTC - Fibre To The Curb
The process by which fibre optic cables are laid from the exchange to the curb
(typically a street cabinet). Traditional copper connections then run from the street
cabinet to the premises.
FTTP - Fibre To The Premises (FTTB and FTTH)
Fibre optic cables delivering services directly to the premises from a local POP or
telephone exchange.
GPON Gigabit Passive Optical Network
Deployment method for fibre networks that splits a fibre between multiple delivery
points using optical splitters. Does not use powered equipment and uses less fibre than
point-to-point methods.
IP - Internet Protocol
The most commonly used set of rules governing how information is sent over
networks (not necessarily just the Internet).
ISDN - Integrated Services Digital Network
A means of transmitting voice and data at up to 64kbps per channel.
ISP - Internet Service Provider
A provider of internet access services (such as ADSL).
Last Mile Reference to the last connection required to deliver a service to the consumer. In
broadband terms, refers to the consumer connection.
LLU - Local Loop Unbundling
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The BT Openreach product that allows ISPs to install their own equipment in
telephone exchanges and just use the copper pair to premises.
MSAN - Multi Service Access Node
A single piece of equipment installed into exchanges that can provide telephony,
ISDN and xDSL all in one package.
MSIL - Multi Service Interconnect Link
A new form of Ethernet backhaul for 21CN technologies. Speeds available at up to
1Gbps at present, with 10Gbps in the pipeline.
NGN - Next Generation Network
The generic name given to a new breed to communications networks.
POP - Point of Presence
A site in which a communications provider hosts equipment for terminating
connections.
POTS Plain Old Telephone System
QoS - Quality of Service
A measure of how "good" the service on a broadband connection is. Most QoS
implementations allow you to define different priorities for different types of traffic
(e.g. Web, VoIP, email)
SDSL - Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line
A DSL service in which the upstream and downstream channels operate at the same
speed.
VoIP - Voice over IP
The generic name given to telephony services that communicate using IP rather than
the old PSTN.
VP - Virtual Path
A virtual link of a predefined capacity carrying broadband traffic from the DSLAM in
the telephone exchange back to the BT network.
WBBC - Wholesale Broadband Connect (old name)
Acronym replaced by WBC, since "WBBC" led to confusion with the BBC.
WBC - Wholesale Broadband Connect
BT's new wholesale broadband product, offering ADSL2+ and QoS services
nationally.
WBCC - Wholesale Broadband Connect Converged
A combined voice and broadband product based upon WBC.
WBMC - Wholesale Broadband Managed Connect
An end-to-end version of WBC that simplifies management by handling traffic from
all Aggregation Points.
WCA - Wholesale Converged Access (old name)
Product renamed and acronym subsequently changed to WBCC.

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